Six Supreme Court judges, including a Meitei judge, will visit Manipur for legal aid programs, but the Churachandpur Bar Association has warned Meitei judges not to enter the district, sparking controversy.
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NEW DELHI: A group of 6 Supreme Court judges is preparing to visit Manipur as part of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) initiative. This visit aims to help communities affected by the ethnic violence that took place nearly two years ago.
The judges who are part of this visit include Justice B.R. Gavai, Justice Surya Kant, Justice Vikram Nath, Justice M.M. Sundresh, Justice K.V. Viswanathan, and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh.
They will be in Manipur to take part in the 50th-anniversary celebrations of the Manipur High Court.
According to a press release from NALSA, the judges will inaugurate various welfare programs, including a Legal Services Camp, a Health Camp, and Legal Aid Clinics. They will also distribute relief materials to people who have been displaced due to violence in the Churachandpur district on March 22.
However, a major controversy has arisen regarding this visit. The Churachandpur District Bar Association (CDBA) has released a warning, stating that judges belonging to the Meitei community should not enter Churachandpur.
The association made a statement saying,
“Lordships belonging to the Meitei community are requested not to enter our district, even though their names appear in the program.”
One of the Supreme Court judges in the visiting delegation is from the Meitei community. Apart from the Supreme Court judges, Manipur High Court judges, including Justice Guneshwar Sharma and Justice A. Bimol, will also be present during the visit.
Justice B.R. Gavai, who is the executive chairman of NALSA, will virtually inaugurate legal service programs, medical camps, and new legal aid clinics in different parts of Manipur, including Imphal East, Imphal West, and Ukhrul districts. Additionally, relief materials will be provided to internally displaced persons (IDPs) as part of the assistance efforts.
This visit by the Supreme Court judges aims to provide legal and medical support to people affected by ethnic violence in the state, but the warning from the CDBA has added tension to the situation.
BACKGROUND
A group of six Supreme Court judges, led by Justice BR Gavai, will visit relief camps in Manipur on March 22, 2025, to provide legal and humanitarian support.
The delegation includes Justices BR Gavai, Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, MM Sundresh, KV Viswanathan, and N Kotishwar.
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This visit aims to strengthen legal and humanitarian support for those affected by the recent violence in the region. The judges will assess the conditions in the relief camps and identify areas where legal assistance is needed.
Previously, in February 2024, Chief Justice Siddharth Mridul of the Manipur High Court visited relief camps in Kangpokpi district. During his visit, he interacted with displaced individuals and distributed relief materials.
The upcoming visit by the Supreme Court judges underscores the judiciary’s commitment to addressing the humanitarian needs arising from the conflict in Manipur.
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By engaging directly with affected communities, the judiciary aims to ensure that legal support is accessible to those in need during these challenging times.
The northeastern Indian state of Manipur has been embroiled in ethnic violence since May 2023, primarily between the majority Meitei community and the minority Kuki-Zo tribes. The unrest began when the Meitei community sought Scheduled Tribe status, a designation that grants certain economic benefits.
This move was opposed by the Kuki-Zo tribes, leading to clashes that have resulted in over 250 deaths and displaced more than 60,000 people.
In response to the escalating violence, the Supreme Court of India has taken proactive measures to address the situation. On August 7, 2023, the Court established a committee led by retired Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Gita Mittal to oversee relief and rehabilitation efforts in Manipur.
This committee’s tenure was recently extended until July 31, 2025, to ensure continued oversight of the humanitarian response.
Additionally, the Supreme Court has been actively monitoring investigations related to the violence. The Court has sought status reports from government agencies to ensure accountability and transparency in the probe.
These interventions by the Supreme Court underscore the judiciary’s commitment to upholding human rights and addressing the complex challenges arising from the ethnic violence in Manipur.
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